This was no typical U.S. midterm election, as voter interest hit record levels — certainly catalyzed by high levels of campaigning and increasingly polarized parties

As an example of heightened engagement, early voting by younger voters appears to have surged from 850,000 early voters under the age of 30 in the 2014 midterm cycle to more than 2.3 million this election

Going back to 1930, the incumbent party has lost a median of 30 seats in the House of Representatives in the midterm, so the Democratic gains have precedent but the magnitude of the eventual seats gained is still being determined

The Republicans have increased their slim majority in the Senate, giving them some breathing room on contentious issues going forward